So You Want to Buy a Business

This seminar will be a practical session designed to help entrepreneurs who have decided it’s finally time to own a business. We will focus on concrete steps that you can take to ensure your entrepreneurial dream does not become a nightmare. Specifically, we will help you to determine what to buy (stock or assets), how much to pay, and identify specific things about the business that you should investigate. Among other things we will discuss:

Why it’s important to evaluate the business as an investment (not as a job or a hobby)

Key questions that need to be asked and answered (by business owner and/or key employees)

Documents you should review (or have professionally reviewed) before agreeing on a price

Common deal structures (asset sales, stock sales) and how each could (and should) impact the deal price

Basic Due Diligence: simple steps you can take to protect yourself from unscrupulous sellers.

Dennis R. Reinstein, CPA/ABV, ASA, CVA

Dennis has over 35 years of experience in accounting, auditing, business valuation and taxation. He has extensive experience in assisting clients with business performance and ownership succession, and has valued hundreds of closely-held businesses in many industries for purposes of estate, gift, dispute resolution, sales and mergers. Dennis holds degrees in Agribusiness and Accounting from the University of Idaho. He has earned business valuation credentials from the American Society of Certified Public Accountants, the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts, and the American Society of Appraisers.

Keith A. Pinkerton, MBA, CFA, ASA

Keith has over 20 years of experience providing economic consulting, business valuation and dispute resolution services. His practice focuses on the analysis and appraisal of closely-held companies, preferred stock, debt securities, healthcare entities and intangibles assets such as patents and trademark rights. Keith has earned an MBA from Baylor University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of South Florida. Keith has earned professional designations from the CFA Institute and the American Society of Appraisers